Hinge



Jan. 24, 1950 c; E. H. FRYKDAHI.

HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v:freezer chests and the like, lin are often mountedv in the vmoved to fully open position, lfall by gravity toward-closed position.

Ainvention is involved, which is:

Patented Jan. 24, 1950 .5

UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE HINGE Carl Edward Harry Frykdahl, St. Louis, Minn.,

assigner to The Coolerator Company,

Duluth,

11 claims. 1

This invention relates to hinges and more specifically to hinges of the type particularly adapted for use on freezer-chests and the like.

In certain cabinet units such asyfor example,

the doors used therewhich necessitates upwardly'swinging, or otherwise raising, the doors when' it is desired to gam access to the` interiors of the units. Because `such doors are normally relatively heavy it is often diiiicult for a person, operating without assistance, to raise these doors, and it is a primary object of my invention to afford a novel hinge for freezer-chests andthe like which willfassist a person in opening the door thereof.

Another object -of my invention is to afford a novel hinge which will assure that when the door to which it has been attached hasbeen the door will not A further object of my invention is to construct a hinge of the above referred to character which operates in a novel and expeditious manner whereby protection against injury thereby is afforded to Vpersons inthe vicinity of a door being raised or lowered thereon. n

k Other objects of my invention are to construct a novel hinge of the character with which my compact; attractive in appearance; economical and practical to manufacture commercially; el'cient in operation; and easy to install on a unit such as, for example a freerer-chest.v Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are 'illustrated in the 1 accompanying drawingswhich, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what l2 now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. of the invention embodying the same or equiv- Aalent principles may be used'V and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims. In the drawings: y Fig. 1 is aside elevational view .of a hinge embodying the principles of my 'invention showing it attached to a door in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of th hinge as shown inFig.1; x

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewtaken substantially alongthe line 3-3inFig.1'; a 1 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially top Wall thereof Other embodiments v In the accompanying drawings along the line 4--4 in Fig. 2 but showing the hinge attached to a door in open position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the top of a freezer-chest showing two of my novel hinges installed in operative position.

two of my novel hinges 20 and 20a, respectively, Fig. 6, are shown as they would appear when installed on a freezerchest 22 having a front wall 24, side walls 26 and 21, a rear wall 29 and a top door 3l, normally held in closed position by a suitable latch 32. The two hinges 20 and 2lla are identical in construction except that they are the reverse of each other, the hinge 20 being adapted to be used on the left side of the door 3|, as viewed in Fig. 6,and the other hinge 20aI being adapted to be used on the right side thereof as viewed in this iigure.

As is best seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 6, the hinge 20 comprises a base member 33, a slide member or vlink 35 and a lever arm 31. The base member 33,

Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a-top wall 39, two end walls 4l and 42, two side walls 44 and 45 and ltwo flanges 41 and 48 projecting outwardly from vshaped member, Fig. 3, having a top wall 53 and two side wallsy 55 and 56, respectively, and one end thereof is pivotally and slidably connected to the base member Y33 by a rivet 58 which extends through one end 4of the side walls 55 and 56 lof the link 35 and through two substantially parallel slots andy 6l formed in one end portion of the side walls -44 and 45, respectively, of the base member 33.

The lever arm 31 comprises a substantially channel-shaped member, Figs. 1 and 5, having a top wall 63 and two side Walls 55 and 66. The lever arm 31 is pivotally attached'to the base member 33 by a rivet 68 which extends through the lower end portions of the side walls 65 and whichis connected to the base member 33, is

established by a rivet which extends through the side Walls 65 and 66 of the lever arm 31 and through a bushing 11 mounted in the side Walls 55 and 5S of the link 35. Also, it will be noted that the side wall 56 of the lever arm 31 is attached to a side 3 la, of the door 3| on the freezer unit 22 by screws 1S, so that the lever 31 serves as a hinge-plate pivoted on the rivet 68, for the door 3 I.

A relatively stiff tension spring 19 is mounted in the base member 33 and has one end attached to the bushing 13 by a hook 3! and thev other end attached to the rivet 58 by a hook 82.

As is best seen in Fig. 1f, when the door 3l vis in closed position and held therein by 4the `latch i.

32, Fig. 6, the spring 1S is in extended or stretched position between the bushing 13 andthe rivet 53, and tends to slide the link longitudinally along the slots 60 and 6l from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 4, and thereby swing the lever arm 31, andthe doo'r3l attached thereto, Afrom the closed position shown in Fig. 1 to 4the open position shown in Fig. '4. Therefore, it will -be apparent that vwhen it is desired "to open the door 3| ofthe freezer-unit 2'2, and the latch 3'2 thereof is 'accordingly released, the 4spring 19 pulls on the rivet v5t! and assists the persona opening the freezer unit 22, to raise the door 3 3, the door swinging upwardly about the rivets 68 in the hinges 2l) and 2a, respectively. 1

'Ifphe amount of assistance rendered by the spring r`"I9 in :raising Athe door 3l is, of course, directly proportional to the strength or stiiness of the spring Y19 used, and, therefore, as Will beapparent to thoseskilled in the art, my novel hinge V2i), or 20a may bereadily adapted to be used with dif- -ferent -weight doors `by merely changing the spring 19 so that a spring of the proper strength is used. A

It will be noted that when the `lever 31 and the door -3-l attached `thereto -is swung to the fully `open position, as shown i-n-Fig. 4, vboth the lever 31 andthe door 3l are swung beyond rthe vertical 'so that both the Yforce -of gravity Yoperating on the door 43| land the force 'exerted by the spring 19 on thefrivet tend tohold the door 3l -inopen position. 'I-o close the door from lthis position, itis necessary to eXer-t -a 'positive pressure -to the right, ras viewed in Fig. 4, on the door to -move it up past the vertical toward Yclosed position. Thus, it will -`be noted 'that when the -door is in fully open position on my novel hinges 23 and 20a, it vvis effectively heldin openpo'sition in such 'a manner that there is no danger 'of the force lof'gravityc'zausingit to slip yfrom thisposition to'- Ward'closed position, 'andfy'et, when it 'isdesired 'to'close thedoor, this 'may readilybe accomplished `:by manually -e'xerting a relatively light positive A-force "thereon in a `forwarddirection.

When kthe door 3i isfin the 2-fully open position show-n in Figui, the rivet 58 abutsthe inner end of the slots 6|! and 3l to thereby -hold the door from -mov'ing `further in an open position. This such as rivets 92. The side walls 89 and 90 of the guard member 85 project upwardly from the top wall 39 of the base member 33 and are so positioned thereon that they form an inner Wall relatively closely underlying the side walls of the lever 31 and the link 35, substantially closing the space between the lower edges of the side Walls oi the lever arm 31 andthe link 35 and the top wall 39 of the base member 33 in all positions of the lever 31 and the link 35 where the lower edges of the side Walls thereof are above the top wall 39 of the base member 33, and, therefore, act as a insures that the door 3l, in opening, will stop Y 'in such position 'that the door 3|, or the :lever 3"! secured ithereto will not strike the -top of the lrear wall 29 of the -frezr=unit `23, and holds "the door in a-'co'nvenient 'raised position Where yit l'is outof the'vvay of a 'person desiring Ato have ac- 1cess to lth'ein'terior of the freezer unit, but is readily accessible toasperson desiring to close it.

fAguard Zmember 85, having `a bottomwall -31 and upwardly extendingtside walls 83 tand 33 is mountedon the ltop Wall -39 ofthe base-member 33 and is secured thereto by any suitable means guard against foreign articles, such as, for eX- ample, the fingers of a person being caught between the side walls of the lever 31 and the link 3 5, or between these side walls and the base member 33. As is best seen in Figs. l and 4, the upper edges `and the end edges of the side Walls 89 and 93 of the guard member 85, are so formed that they underlie and are spaced from the top walls 63 and 53 of the lever 31 and the link '35, respectively, when the lever 31 and the link 35 are in their lowermost position.

Inthe manufacture of my 1novel hinge, the base member '33, the link 35, the ylever v31 and the guard member 8,5 maybe constructed in any suitable manner and from any 'suitable material. In vthis connection, I have lfound that by using #22 US-gage steel f or 'the guard member 35, #14 US- gage steel for the :base member 33 and the link member 35, andi-#12 US-gage steel for the Vlever member 31, and by `iorming these members from Athese respective steels by bending `and forming operations which are well Nknown in the art, a -hinge which isvwell adapted for substantially general Vuse on the usual `freezer-chests and the like may beaforded. -I-IoWeven-other thicknesses 4of steel, and other materials may -be used by those skilled in the art without departing `from the .purview ofmy -invention, and it will be vappreciated that eI specifys'teel of these thicknesses by way of illustration Aand not by way of limitation.

From -the foregoing --it will -be .seen that I have afforded a novel hinge which may be readily adapted for use on freezer-units, and the like, of various sizes,rand which is eiTecti-ve to assist in raising `or open-ing a door, or the like, vrto which it may bevattached, and -is-eifective to hold the door in open position.

Also, it will be Fnoted that m-y novel hinge l'is compact in form, efilcient :in operation, presents a-pleasingy appearance wheninstalledon aireezerunit, -or the like, .and maa7 vbe readily manufac -turedcommercially.

Thus, Awhile I have illustrated `and described the preferred Eembodiment of my invention, it .is -to be -understood that this-isoapableof variation fand modification-*and I'thereforedo :not wish to v-be limited vto 'the preci'se details set Vforth, but desire to avail myself oisuch chang'esrand altera'- `tion`s as 'fall within 'the ipurview of the lfollowing claims.

I'claim:

1. A hingeior munting'a'door or the like-cna supporting member and comprising anelongated base y*memberadapted to be attached to said :supiportin'g member iin :position to "extend substantially paralleltofone end ofisaid door, a'leverfpivotally connectedto said'basem'emberand adapted to be connected to said one end of said door, "a ilink, vmeanspivotallyand slidably=connecting one end of said link to said basemember, fm-ea'nsxpivotallyconnectin'g ltheother'e'ndof said link to said lever with the axis of pivotation in xed l ber to thereby pivot f base member.

j relation to said linkandleverandl resilient means connected to said base member and saidlink'for moving said link longitudinally of said base memsaid lever relative to said 2. A hinge for movabl'y mounting a door or the like on a supporting member and comprising lan elongated base member adapted to be Vattached to said supporting member in spaced-relationto said door, a lever pivotallymounted on said base member and having a normally closed position 'I and an open positionrelative thereto, said lever having a portion adapted to be attached to vsaid door to support the same, said portion of said lever extending substantially longitudinally along said base member in spaced relation thereto when said lever is in said normally closed positioma link, means pivotally and slidably connecting one end of said link to said base member, means pivotally connecting the other end of said link to said lever with the axis of pivotation in iixed relation to said link and lever, said link being loperable upon movement thereof in one direction relative to said base member to move said lever, and resilient means connected between said link and said,

' member, a lever member having one end pivotally attached to said base member andadapted to pivotably support a door, a link, means slidably and pivotally connecting one end of said link to said base member, means pivotally connecting the other end of said link to said lever member with the axis of pivotation in xed relation to said link and lever, said lever member and said link normally occupying a position wherein they form obtuse angles relative to each other, said link being operable to slide along said base member to thereby pivot said lever member from said position to another position wherein saidlever member and said link form an acute angle relative to each other, and resilient means connected to said baseA member and said link for urging said link from said first mentioned position to said other position.

4. In a hinge of the character described, a base member having a top wall and substantially parallel side walls projecting therefrom, a door-supporting member having a top wall and substantially parallel side walls projecting therefrom, means pivotally connecting said side walls of said door supporting member to said side walls of said base member in substantially parallel relation thereto, a link member having a top wall and substantially parallel side walls projecting therefrom, means pivotally and slidably connecting said side walls of said link member to said side walls of said base member in substantially parallel relation thereto, means pivotally connecting said side walls of said door-supporting member to said side walls of Vsaid link member in substantially parallel relation thereto, and means for urging said link member toward said last named means.

5. Ina hinge of the character described, a base member having a top wall and substantially parallel side walls projecting therefrom, a door-supporting member having a tially parallel side walls projecting therefrom, means pivotally connecting said side walls of said door-supporting member to said side walls of said base member exteriorly thereof, a link member top wall and substantially parallel link supporting member A Walls projecting therefrom, means pivotally and yslidably connecting said -member to' said side vwalls of-said base member side-walls of said link exteriorly thereof, means pivotally connecting 'said side walls? of said door-supporting member to said side-walls of said link member exteriorly thereof, and means urging said link member toward said door-supporting member.

'' 6. In a hinge of the character described, a base vbase member exteriorly thereof, a link member having atop wall and substantially parallel side walls projectingtherefrom, means pivotally and vslidably connecting said side walls of said link member to said side walls of said base member 'exteriorly thereof, means pivotally connecting i said side walls of said door-supporting member to said side walls vof said link member exteriorly thereof, said ldoor-supporting member and said having one position relative to each other wherein the top walls thereof are 'at obtuse angles to each other and another position wherein the top wallsthereof are at an Vacute angle relative to each other, and means connected to said vlink member for moving said door supporting member vand said link member from said one position to said other position.

7. A hinge for mounting a door or the like on an elongated supporting member, said hinge comprising an elongated base member adapted to be attached to said supporting member in parallel relation thereto, a lever, means pivotally connecting one end portion of said lever to one end portion of said base member, a link, means pivotally connecting one end of said link to another portion of said lever with the axis of pivotation infixed relation to said link and lever, means pivotally and slidably connecting the other end of said link to the other end portion of said base member, said lever having an intermediate portion between said one end portion and said other portion adapted to be attached to a door, and resilient means connected to said link and said base member yieldingly urging said link in one direction relative to said base member.

8. A hinge adapted to be mounted on a surface framing an opening adapted to be opened and lclosed by a pivotal closure member and including an elongated base member of inverted U-shaped cross section and having end Walls defining a housing therebetween, a lever, means pivotally connecting one end of the lever to one vend of the base member, means connecting the lever to the closure member, a link pivotally connected at one end to the lever and pivotally and slidably connected at its other end to the base member, a resilient means disposed within and housed by the base member and connected at one end to the pivotal connection of the base to the lever and at its other end to the pivotal and slidable connection of the base to the link, said resilient means normally urging said lever and the closure member connected therewith to an open position, whereby the opening of the closure is effected by manually exerting a relatively slight lifting f orce on the closure member, the resilient means assisting the manual force in moving the closure member to its open position.

9. A hinge adapted to be mounted on a surface having a top wall and substantially parallel side framing an opening adapted to be closed by a pivoted closure member comprising an elongated base member of inverted U-sh-aped cross section, ya link member of similar cross section disposed in overlapping sliding relation with respect to said base member, means pivotally and -slidably connecting one end of the link with one end cf the -base member, a lever of similar cross section pivotally connected to the other end of the base, -overlapping the base and the link and pivotally connected to the other end of the link and adapted for connection to the closure member so that swinging movement of the lever eiects swinging movement of the closure, and resilient means enclosed by said base member and connected at its opposite ends to the respective pivotal connection between the base and lever and the pivotal and slidable connection between the base and the link, said resilient means normally urging the link toward the lever and thereby normally urging the closure member toward open postion, the cross sectional .shape and diameters of the respective base, link and lever and the overlapping relationship thereof minimizing entangling of foreign objects such as clothing and human appendages between the respective coinponent parts of the hinge.

10. A hinge as dened in and by claim 9 wherein the pivotal and slidable connection between the said one end of the link and one end of the base member comprises parallel slots provided in opposite side walls of the base member, and a, pin connection passing through :the slots and connected at its opposite ends with the respec tive overlapping side walls of the link adjacent the said one end thereof. l 4

11. In combination with a vertically swinging closure member, a, hinge adapted to be mounted on a horizontally disposed surface framing the opening to be closed by the closure member and including a base member of inverted U-shaped cross section, -a lever pivoted at one end to one end of the base member and connected with a side edge of the closure member, a link pivotally and slidably connected with the other end of the .base member and pivotally connected at its other end with the lever, resilient means housed within said base member, connected between the respectv pivotal connection of the lever to the base member and the pivotal and slidable connection of the link to the base member, and which resilient means normally urges the link toward the lever to urge the lever to closure opening position CARL EDWARD HARRY FRYKDAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 16,759 vThomas ....e Mar. 3, 1857 1,731,561 Campbell et al. Oct. 15, 1929 

